TOWER Awards 2023 Launched at Dusit Hotel

The Outstanding Workers of the Republic (TOWER) Awards was launched during the general membership meeting of the People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) last Wednesday, January 25, 2023, at Dusit Hotel. Present were TOWER Awards Chairman/Centennial Pres. Susing Pineda and VP Reggie Yu who delivered the message on behalf of Pres. Hermie Esguerra.

Message delivered by VP Reggie Yu during the launching of the TOWER AWARDS 2023

The Honorable Secretary and RCM Past President Benny Laguesma; The Honorable Undersecretary for Employment and Human Resource Development Cluster Carmela Torres; People Management Association of the Philippines Outgoing President Ms. Ellen Fullido; People Management Association of the Philippines incoming President Ms. Maria Elizabeth Nasol; TOWER Awards Search Chair and RCM Past President Susing Pineda; TOWER Awards Search Co-Chair Atty. Teddy Kalaw; PMAP Executive Director Rene Gener; distinguished officers, esteemed colleagues and members of the Rotary Club of Manila and PMAP; guests and friends; ladies and gentlemen: Isang mapagpalang araw po sa inyong lahat!

On behalf of our President, Hermie Esguerra, who regrettably, cannot be with us this morning as he is on-board a flight taking him to Thailand for a Rotary District Mid-Year Review as I speak, I extend my warmest felicitations to you all as we officially open the search for 31st “The Outstanding Workers of the Republic,” or TOWER Awards.

Since it was first launched jointly by the Rotary Club of Manila, the then-Ministry of Labor under Minister Blas Ople, and the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, then under the leadership of its founder, Ka Democrito Mendoza, during the presidency of Past District Governor and RCM Past President Teofilo Reyes in 1975, with then Club Secretary Alberto Romulo as its first Project Chair, the TOWER Awards has become an institution, having recognized more than 200 skilled workers – the backbone of our country’s manpower capacity – who exemplified work excellence, productivity and innovation.

Today, we find new meaning in our annual search of the TOWER Awards. This year, we honor our Filipino blue-collar workers who are fueled, not just by the desire to support their families and advance their careers, but have also tirelessly toiled these past years to ensure that our society will continue to function in the face of an unprecedented health crisis that has – even after almost three years since its ominous outbreak – continued to beleaguer industries across the nation.

I am confident that, under the exemplary leadership of this year’s search committee, led by none other than RCM Past President Susing Pineda, with the invaluable support of our indefatigable partner PMAP, the heroic deeds of the unsung heroes of the workplace, who have since displayed the kind of resilience that has made many industries survive the challenges of the Philippine economy, be again brought to fore in RCM’s flagship project that has since defined the finest hours of Asia’s First Rotary Club.

Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat! Mabuhay ang TOWER Awards! Mabuhay po ang PMAP! Mabuhay po ang Rotary Club of Manila! At mabuhay po ang manggawang Pilipino!

Message delivered by TOWER Awards Chairman/ Centennial Pres. Susing Pineda

Honorable Secretary Benny Laguesma, PMAP President Beth Nasol, EDC Pres. Richard Tantoco, Dr. David Hall, PMAP Past President Ellen Fullido, PMAP Exec. Director Rene Gener, PMAP Board of Trustees, esteemed members of the Rotary Club of Manila, friends, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.

Today is a special occasion to launch the TOWER Awards of the Rotary Club of Manila together with the cooperative endeavor of PMAP and the Department of Labor and Employment to honor great Filipino workers for their important contribution to their respective companies in particular and their contribution to the economy in general.

The TOWER Awards is a legacy project of the Rotary Club of Manila since 1975 to create an environment that encourages blue collar industries to improve employment, livelihood and training opportunities thru creative productivity and innovative retooling and upscaling of workers. In spite of the limited and the slow economic recovery presently prevailing, we were able to recognize four (4) outstanding workers of the republic with the valued assistance and coordination with the People Management of the Philippines and the Department of Labor and Employment in 2022.

But as we look to the future, we must do so from a range of perspective and situation that place the well-being of the people as a priority. In various industries, there is now an on- going paradigm shift, from application of artificial intelligence to the digital economy that is leading to the transformation of the world of work as we know it today. Our big challenge is to balance the powerful forces based on the principles of development, innovation, inclusion, resiliency and sustainability. Similarly, digital literacy, occupational safety and health skills should be included in the new framework of transformation. These and more are necessary to ensure a more enduring and a productive economy. Public policies must therefore be geared towards equity innovation, building skills and empowering people to perform at their best.

Creating employment for our citizens is one of the major challenges facing the Philippines today, and other third world countries. Our challenge is to increase employment by shaping policies, programs and projects that can adopt to the constantly changing world of work. We can accomplish this challenge by putting people first, by recognizing that labor is more than simply a commodity in the labor market, or even just a factor of production. The work is about human beings who have aspirations for themselves, their families, their companies, and their communities.

On a special note, we wish to thank the Hon. Secretary Benny Laguesma for gracing this occasion and his total support and commitment for this joint undertaking. For your information, Sec. Laguesma was the chairman of the TOWER Awards during my term as Centennial President of the Rotary Club of Manila in 2019. The Honorable Secretary was also a Past President of the Rotary Club and he re-organized and re-started the TOWER Awards in 2019 with great success of recognizing 10 outstanding blue-collar workers of the Republic. Thank you, Sec. Benny.

Finally, we look forward to awarding the Most Outstanding Blue-Collar Workers of the Republic in May 2023 with the support and commitment of the leadership of the People Management Association of the Philippines and the Department of Labor and Employment, together with the Rotary Club of Manila. Marami pong salamat.